Off-the-arm sewing machine and cutting assembly

ABSTRACT

Off-the-arm sewing machine and cutting assembly comprises machine having longitudinally oriented machine arm and cutting assembly including mounting plate secured to sewing machine. Blade mounting arm is integral with mounting plate, and movable cutter blade is pivotally connected at its mid-portion to blade mounting arm for movement in plane substantially perpendicular to longitudinal axis of sewing machine arm. Motivating structure connected between movable cutter blade and mounting plate moves cutter blade toward and away from sewing machine arm. Stationary cutter blade is secured to free end portion of sewing machine arm. Cutter blades cooperate with each other to cut material positioned in path of motion of movable cutter blade when motivating structure is actuated.

United States Patent [4 1 Sept. 26, 1972 Speer OFF -THE-ARM SEWINGMACHINE AND CUTTING ASSEMBLY [72] Inventor: Billy L. Speer,Campbellsville,

Ky. 42718 g [73] Assignee: Speer Systems, Inc., Campbellsville,

[22] Filed: Oct. 23, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 83,482

[52] U.S. Cl. ..ll2/l30 [51] Int. Cl. ..D05b 37/04 [58] Field of Search...1 12/129, 130, 122, 219 B, 252

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,536,020 10/1970 Boser..l12/130 2,149,239 2/1939 Cochran ..112/130 3,541,982 11/1970 Marforio..1 12/219 B 3,381,639 5/1968 Miller ..1 12/130 3,163,136 12/1964Pickett ..1l2/130 3,425,373 2/1969 Miller et a1. ..112/130 3,329,1137/1967 Lewis et al ..ll2/l30 3,245,369 4/1966 Myska ..l12/219 B PrimaryExaminer-H. Hampton Hunter Attorney-Connolly and Hutz [57] ABSTRACTOff-the-arm sewing machine and cutting assembly comprises machine havinglongitudinally oriented machine arm and cutting assembly includingmounting plate secured to sewing machine. Blade mounting arm is integralwith mounting plate, and movable cutter blade is pivotally connected atits mid-portion to blade 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDsms m2SHEET 2 OF 2 lliililllll ple but highly efficient manner.

OFF-THE-ARM SEWING MACHINE AND CUTTING ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND THE INVENTIONprocedures the cutting operation is not always performed at the desiredtime.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide aunique sewing machine and cutting assemblythat cooperates with themachine for cutting material being worked upon by the machine, thecutting operation being carried out in a relatively sim- SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION In accordance with the present invention an off-thearm typesewing machine and cutting assembly comprises a machine having alongitudinally oriented machine arm and a cutting assembly that includesa mounting plate secured to the sewing machine. A blade mounting arm isintegral'with the mounting plate, and the movable cutter blade ispivotally connected at its mid-portion to the blade-mounting arm formovement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axisof the sewing machine arm. Motivating structure is connected between themovable cutter blade and the mounting plate for moving the movablecutter blade toward and away from the sewing machine arm. A stationarycutter blade is secured to the free end portion of the sewing machinearm, and the cutter blades cooperate with each other to cut materialpositioned in the path of motion of the-movable cutter blade when themotivating means is activated. Such activation causes the movable cutterbladeto sweep across the stationary cutter blade on the sewing machinearm.

The motivating structure according to the present invention may comprisean air actuated cylinder connected to the movable cutter blade at oneside of the pivotal connection for urging the movable cutter bladetoward the sewing machine arm. Additionally, a return spring may beconnected to the movable cutter blade at the other side of the pivotalconnection for urging the movable cutter blade away from the sewingmachine arm after the cutting operation.

The cutting assembly also includes an air line connected to the cylinderand an operator valve in the line for delivering air to the cylinderwhen the operator valve is actuated. Moreover, a second valve may beprovided in the air line for venting the line so that actuation of theoperator valve when the line is vented prevents air from being suppliedto the cylinder. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Novel features andadvantages of the present invention in addition to those mentioned abovewill become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of thefollowing detailed description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a sewing machine and cuttingassembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the sewing machine and cuttingassembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the sewing machine and cutting assemblyshown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

' FIG. 4 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating theposition of the movable cutting blade just after the cutting operation;and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 2 diagrammaticallyillustrating various air lines and valving associated with the sewingmachine and cutting assembly according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the presentinvention an off-thearrn type sewing machine 10 comprises the usualmachine head 12 and longitudinally oriented machine arm 14. A cuttingassembly 16 is associated with the sewing machine 10 for cuttingthreads, tape, binding or other material 17 being worked upon by thesewing machine.

The cutting assembly includes a mounting plate 18 secured to the sewingmachine 10 by fasteners 20. A blade mounting arm 22 is integrallyconnected to the mounting plate 18 at 24. The blade mounting arm 22 isoriented with respect to the mounting plate 18 so that it is positionedin a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of themachine arm 14. A movable cutter blade 26 having a cutting edge 28 ispivotally connected at its mid-portion to the blade mounting arm 22 formovement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axisof the sewing machine arm 14. The pivotal connection between the movablecutter blade 26 and the blade mounting arm 22 is identifed by referencenumeral 30.

Motivating structure in the form of an air cylinder unit 32 is connectedbetween the movable cutter blade 26 at one end thereof and the mountingplate 18. As described more fully below, the air cylinder unit 32operates to move the movable cutter blade 26 toward and away from thesewing machine arm 14. The air cylinder unit includes a cylinder portion34 connected to a tab 36 on the mounting plate 18 by a fastener 38. Theair cylinder unit also includes a piston (not shown) inside the cylinder34 and a piston rod 40 connected to the piston and the movable cutterblade 26 by fastener 42. An air line 44 is connected to the cylinder 34for driving the piston into the cylinder when air is delivered to theline.

The top cutting edge 28 of the movable cutter blade cooperates with thebottom cutting edge 46 of a stationary cutter blade 48 during thecutting operation, as explained more fully below. The stationary cutterblade is adjustably secured to the end of the machine arm 14 so that thecutting edge 28 of the blade 26 sweeps across the cutting edge 46 inscissor-like fashion when the air cylinder unit 32 is actuated.

The structure for imparting the desired motion to the movable cutterblade 26 also includes a return spring 50 connected between the cutterblade 26 at 52 and the mounting plate 18. A lug S4 is provided on themounting plate 18 for securing the return spring 50 to the mountingplate.

Referring to FIG. 5, the sewing machine includes a presser foot assembly56 which may be raised and lowered by an air cylinder unit 58. FIG. 5also illussembly 56. With the knob 62 so positioned line 68 associatedwith the valve unit 60 is vented to the atmosphere by line 70. Asexplained more fully below, when line 68 is so vented it is impossibleto actuate the air cylinder unit 32 of the cutting assembly 16. Afterthe operator adjusts the material 17 under the presser foot assembly 56,knob 62 is urged to the left, as viewed in FIG. 5. Such movementconnects the air input 64 to line 68 and vents line 66 to the atmospherevia line 70. A return spring (not shown) in the air cylinder unit 58then urges the presser foot assembly 66 to its down or in-use position.When the knob 62 is positioned inwardly relative to the valve unit60'air under pressure is supplied to the air cylinder unit 32 of thecutting assembly 16 when the activator 72 of an operator valve 74 ismoved to the right, as viewed in FIG. 5. Such movement interconnectsline 68 with line 44 and air under pressure is delivered to the aircylinder unit 32. When the air is delivered to the air cylinder unit 32the movable cutter blade 26 is urged toward the stationary cutter bladeand the blade edges sweep across one another in scissor-like fashion tocut the material 17 (FIG. 4). Release of the activator 72 connects line44 to line 76 to vent line 44 to the atmosphere. A return spring (notshown) in the air cylinder unit 32 and the return spring 50 function toreturn the movable cutter blade 26 to the position illustrated best inFIG. 1.

As described above control knob 62 is utilized for raising and loweringthe presser foot assembly 56. Also, the air cylinder unit 32 can only beactuated when the presser foot assembly 56 is in its down or in-useposition. This interaction substantially eliminates the possibility ofaccidents caused by inadvertent actuation of the cutting assembly 16when the presser foot assembly is up and the sewing machine attendantshands are in the vicinity of the cutter blades. When the presser footassembly is down the cutting assembly 16 is easily operated bymanipulating activator 72, as described above.

What is claimed is:

1. An off-the-arm type sewing machine and a cutting assembly, the sewingmachine having a longitudinally oriented machine arm and the cuttingassembly including a mounting plate secured to the sewing machine, ablade mounting arm integral with the mounting plate, a

movable cutter blade pivotally connected at its midportion to the blademounting arm for movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of the sewing machine arm, motivating means connectedbetween the movable cutter blade and the mounting plate for moving themom le cutter blade toward an away from the sewing mac me arm, and astationary cutter blade secured to the free end portion of the sewingmachine arm, the cutter blades cooperating with each other whereby whenthe motivating means is actuated the movable cutter blade sweeps acrossthe stationary cutter blade on the sewing machine arm to cut materialpositioned in the path of motion of the movable cutter blade.

2. An off-the-arm type sewing machine and a cutting assembly as in claim1 wherein the motivating means comprises an air actuated cylinderconnected to the movable cutter blade at one side of the pivotalconnection for urging the movable cutter blade toward 'the sewingmachine arm, a return spring connected to the movable cutter blade atthe other side of the pivotal connection for urging the movable cutterblade away from the sewing machine arm after the cutting operation, anair line connected to the cylinder, an operator valve in the line fordelivering air to the cylinder when the operator valve is actuated, anda second valve in the air line for venting the line whereby actuation ofthe operator valve when the line is vented prevents air from I beingsupplied to the cylinder.

1. An off-the-arm type sewing machine and a cutting assembly, the sewingmachine having a longitudinally oriented machine arm and the cuttingassembly including a mounting plate secured to the sewing machine, ablade mounting arm integral with the mounting plate, a movable cutterblade pivotally connected at its mid-portion to the blade mounting armfor movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis of the sewing machine arm, motivating means connected between themovable cutter blade and the mounting plate for moving the movablecutter blade toward and away from the sewing machine arm, and astationary cutter blade secured to the free end portion of the sewingmachine arm, the cutter blades cooperating with each other whereby whenthe motivating means is actuated the movable cutter blade sweeps acrossthe stationary cutter blade on the sewing machine arm to cut materialpositioned in the path of motion of the movable cutter blade.
 2. Anoff-the-arm type sewing machine and a cutting assembly as in claim 1wherein the motivating means comprises an air actuated cylinderconnected to the movable cutter blade at one side of the pivotalconnection for urging the movable cutter blade toward the sewing machinearm, a return spring connected to the movable cutter blade at the otherside of the pivotal connection for urging the movable cutter blade awayfrom the sewing machine arm After the cutting operation, an air lineconnected to the cylinder, an operator valve in the line for deliveringair to the cylinder when the operator valve is actuated, and a secondvalve in the air line for venting the line whereby actuation of theoperator valve when the line is vented prevents air from being suppliedto the cylinder.